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The 2023 MLB postseason is underway and the Wild Card Series round is already complete. All four series were two-game sweeps. It is the first time in baseball history a postseason round with at least four series ended in all sweeps. The best-of-five Division Series gets underway this weekend. Here is the postseason start times and here are the Division Series matchups:

AMERICAN LEAGUE
ALDS1: Texas Rangers at Baltimore Orioles
ALDS2: Minnesota Twins at Houston Astros

NATIONAL LEAGUE
NLDS1: Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves
NLDS2: Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers

There are eight teams still standing and that equals 16 possible World Series matchups. There are no bad options! They're each exciting in their own way, but some are more compelling than others. Sometimes there's history (recent or otherwise), sometimes new players have joined the mix, so on and so forth.

With that in mind, we are here to rank all 16 possible World Series matchups. What are these rankings based on, exactly? History, watchability, vibes, etc. No need to get scientific. Here now are our 2023 World Series matchup rankings.

The bottom six

16. Twins vs. Diamondbacks
15. Twins vs. Dodgers
14. Astros vs. Diamondbacks
13. Rangers vs. Diamondbacks
12. Twins vs. Phillies
11. Twins vs. Braves

I did not intend for the D-Backs and Twins to feature so prominently in the bottom tier. They are both exciting teams -- I love watching Arizona's baserunning and Minnesota's pitching -- and Corbin Carroll vs. Royce Lewis belongs on the national stage. Ultimately, some team(s) has to finish near the bottom of these rankings, and this year it happens to be these two. That said, I would happily sign up for a Braves vs. Twins World Series that is as captivating as their 1991 showdown.

The next four

10. Orioles vs. Dodgers
9. Rangers vs. Dodgers
8. Orioles vs. Diamondbacks
7. Rangers vs. Phillies

Personally, I think an O's vs. D-Backs series would be sneaky fun. Two very young, very fast-paced teams makes for good television. A healthy Max Scherzer would move Rangers vs. Dodgers and Rangers vs. Phillies up a few notches, though his postseason status is uncertain at the moment, so I'm hedging a bit. Texas is the only team still alive without a World Series title. Topping the powerhouse Dodgers would be a neat way to get that first championship.

A tier of its own

6. Astros vs. Dodgers

Look, MLB and Fox would love this, but I think fans are starting to go get sick of seeing these two teams every October. It's time for new blood. Plus we've all been beaten over the head with the sign-stealing scandal and 2017 World Series narrative for three years now. Would Astros vs. Dodgers make for a compelling World Series? Yeah, I think so, hence the relatively high spot in these rankings. I also think we've seen enough Astros and Dodgers the last few seasons and would welcome a different matchup. I know I would, personally.

The top five

5. Rangers vs. Braves

Here's the "there's no one right way to build a team" matchup. The Braves built from within and through shrewd trades. The Rangers threw a boatload of money at their problems. Both can and have worked, historically. If we do wind up with this matchup, I hope it would be with fully healthy pitching staffs, meaning Scherzer for Texas and Max Fried and Charlie Morton for the Braves. Either way, we're looking at Ronald Acuña Jr. and Evan Carter on the same field, Matt Olson and Austin Riley vs. Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, and plenty of other must-see players.

4. Astros vs. Phillies

There has not been a World Series rematch in back-to-back years since the Dodgers and Yankees met in 1977 and 1978, and there has not been been a World Series rematch not involving the Yankees since the Athletics and Cardinals in 1930 and 1931. This matchup would end two long droughts and who doesn't like the idea of Bryce Harper & Co. trying to exact revenge while Justin Verlander and his pals look to again prove their superiority? Add in new faces like José Abreu and Trea Turner, and a 2022 World Series rematch offers plenty of intrigue.

3. Astros vs. Braves

We saw this World Series two years ago but remember, Acuña (torn ACL) and Verlander (Tommy John surgery) were absent due to injury, plus stalwarts Carlos Correa and Freddie Freeman are no longer around. This fall we would get healthy Acuña and Verlander, plus new faces in Jeremy Peña and Olson. We've seen the Astros and Braves a lot the last few postseasons -- A LOT -- and that's not necessarily a good thing. In this case, I think we'd get a fun series even with the oversaturation.

2. Orioles vs. Braves

These two clubs had the two best records in baseball during the regular season and, really, the O's are trying to become what the Braves are. The Braves are the model organization right now and they have one World Series title already, and now they're looking to build a dynasty. This is Baltimore's first try at this core's first ring. Atlanta went through a lot of postseason heartbreak from 2018-20 before they finally cashed in. Can the O's skip the disappointment and go from 110 losses in 2021 to a championship in 2023?

1. Orioles vs. Phillies

On the field, it would be the up-and-coming Orioles against a veteran Phillies team looking to get over the hump after falling just short last year. The crowds are the x-factor. Citizens Bank Park was electric in the Wild Card Series and the Orioles fans that have been starved for a contending team gave Camden Yards a postseason-like atmosphere many times late in the year. The travel's not too bad either. A two-hour drive gets you from Baltimore and Philadelphia and vice versa (pro tip: take Amtrak instead). The teams are excellent and I think the crowds would take this World Series matchup to the next level.